Suharto: A Political Biography [Hardcover]

R. E. Elson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 11, 2002

General Suharto is synonymous with modern Indonesia. He became President amidst extreme social upheaval and mass violence in 1966 and retained his position until 1998. In this book R.E. Elson provides insights into a man who exerted extraordinary power and influence, presented himself as an infallible father of the nation, yet remained mysterious. Suharto sought to transform Indonesia into a strong, united and economically prosperous nation-state, yet after half a century of influence, he is remembered as much for extensive human rights abuse and unprecedented corruption. As Indonesia emerges from the political numbness that characterized his era, its future seems precarious. R.E. Elson is Professor, School of Asian and International Studies at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia and Director of Griffith Asia Pacific Council. He is the author of The End of Peasantry in Southeast Asia (Palgrave, 1997) and The Politics of Colonial Expansion (Southeast Asia Program Publications, 1992).

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this extensive, detailed, and well-written biography Elson portrays a man of considerable drive, intelligence, ambition, and loyalty.... Recommended for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students." Choice

"A useful...resource." Journal of Asian Studies

Book Description

General Suharto is synonymous with modern Indonesia. He became President amidst extreme social upheaval and mass violence in 1966 and retained his position until 1998, his regime known as the 'New Order'. This book provides extraordinary insights into a man who exerted extraordinary power and influence, who presented himself as an infallible father of the nation, yet who remained mysterious. He sought to transform Indonesia into a strong, united and economically prosperous nation-state. After half a century of influence however, he is remembered as much for human rights abuses and corruption on an incomparable scale. As Indonesia emerges from the political numbness that characterised his era, its future seems precarious.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 412 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521773261
• ISBN-13: 978-0521773263
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,738,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Embarrassing Dictator, May 11, 2005

By 

J. E. Monfries (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Suharto: A Political Biography (Hardcover)

Indonesians are rather embarrassed about their past these days, except for the glorious Revolution in the 1940s when they expelled the Dutch colonialists. They seem to want to forget about the man who ruled them for thirty years, though some ordinary Indonesians yearn for the stability and predictability of that time. Elson's biography is meticulously researched, readable and comprehensive, and provides an irreplaceable introduction to a crucial period, which still influences Indonesia, despite the extraordinary democratisation which has taken place. Despite appearances, many political patterns, especially those of elite politics, economic exploitation and corruption, are little changed from Suharto's time.